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Sunday, June 1, 2014

Week 34 - Mary's Baptism, Mission Tour, Investigators at church

Pretty short week calls for a pretty short email. We balled out and made plays, got a baptism and have two more planned for next week. Hope you guys had a good week talk to ya later!

Elder Krueger T

Ah.....This did not go over too well with Mom! Luckily he was just teasing me. :)

I hope that email freaked out mom, even though I'm on the other side of the world I can picture her getting mad and dad shaking his head hahaha But for real though it was a pretty short week so I don't have a whole lot to say. I'll just rattle off the last couple of days in order, mostly because it's like 120 degrees right now with no fan so it's kinda hard to think.

Thursday - Sister Mary Bautista got baptized! We have been teaching her for several months but we recently found out that she didn't live in our ward boundaries so we worked it out so that she would go to the Acacia ward after her baptism. It was a small, but very spiritual baptismal service. This time we were determined to get to the church early to fill the font up ourselves, unfortunately we were locked out and we were calling everyone we could think of to get keys. Eventually about 30 minutes before the baptism was about to start our bishop showed up. As soon as he opened the gate we took off straight for the font, and to our great surprise found it to be washed and filled up already! Just a little tender mercy from the great Bishop Lamoste. He said he had a feeling the day before that he should go fill up the font, gotta love seeing the ward have your back like that! Anyways Sister Mary is doing awesome and actually has gone to 3 hours of church at the Acacia ward and then all 3 hours of our ward as well the last 2 weeks. She is definitely hungry for the words of Christ! I couldn't even make it through an hour of church back in the day and she gets through 6 and still wants more! True conversion right there.

Friday - Weekly planning and we went out to eat at chow king with the Kabahays (elder elms and elder harris). Then we worked and taught the good word.

Saturday - Mission tour!! Elder Christensen (of the presidency of the seventy) and Elder Ardern (of the seventy/soon to be the new Philippines area president) came to speak to us with their wives. Seeing President Sperry and these other two GAs speak was just mind blowing at the amount of scriptural knowledge, experience, and connection with the Spirit that they possessed. They each individually spoke on a topic they picked out and afterwards opened it up to a Q and A session where this whole stand full of authorities and their wives responded to our questions. The most impressive thing to me was that they never responded to a question without a scriptural reference, or quote from a prophet, to back up everything they said. The theme throughout the day seemed to be about striving to work more productively with members. They gave numerous tips as to how to gain/establish trust and see things from the perspective of a member. I am a firm believer that members are missionaries and missionaries and members, and we are all called to be the Lord's people, and the Lord's people are one. Therefore, no manner of our potential can be reached until the work goes forth hand in hand, member and missionary, and we work as one; different in responsibility perhaps but same in purpose no doubt nor question. On another note it was also just a great day because it's the only time since "Day of Judgement" two years ago that the whole mission has been together. Such a glorious occasion, I imagine seeing everyone you know and love in the Celestial Kingdom would be of a similar yet much grander feeling.

Sunday - Fast and testimony meeting. Highlight of the day was 3 investigators at church, which included a part member family that we have been teaching and trying to get to come to church for 3 months straight now! Words can't describe the joy that came 5 minutes after the meeting started when they walked in the door with their shades on looking all classy! Also, we are teaching a LA named Michael. He is 31 and just returning to activity after like 15 years outside of the church. He is way cool and we are working hard with him to establish goals for activity, paying tithing, getting the Melchizedek priesthood and then hopefully entering the temple.

The work moves forward and our area continues to get better and better everyday. I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve the Lord full time. I've made a lot of bad decisions in my life, but I am grateful I did make one good decision, to read the BOM and find out for myself if this is true. The decision to come on a mission is undoubtedly the best one I have ever and perhaps will ever make. I don't like to think my personality has change to much, but my desires, thoughts, and actions would be unrecognizable to those who once knew me. May we all find the change of heart that can only come through the grace of Jesus Christ, available to all through the offering of His infinite atonement.